News
Endorsement Scandal: APC Chairmen deceived with fake promissory note of land, N5m
A new twist has emerged in the purported endorsement of Governor Rochas Okorocha’s son-in-law and Chief of Staff, Hon. Uche Nwosu, by kinsmen of the State Deputy Governor, Prince Eze Madumere.
Hon. Wilson Nwachukwu, Chairman, APC Orodo Ward A in Mbaitoli Local Government Area, has confessed how they were promised a plot of land each with N5 million if only they would join in endorsing Hon. Nwosu before the media and Governor Okorocha.
The plan was reportedly hatched at the country home of Tochukwu Onwusaraka in Ogwa Ward 1, who had called the ward chairmen to a meeting.
It was there that the Governor’s son-in-law purportedly made a pledge to give each of the ward chairmen N5 million with a plot of land and cars if only they would publicly endorse him.
To make real his promise, he was said to have donated a fairly used Camry car to Mr. Nwachukwu so as to seduce others.
According to Nwachukwu, they fell for the dangling carrot without knowing that it was all lies.
He pleaded with APC stakeholders and party leaders to help him seek the Deputy Governor’s forgiveness.
His words: “I don’t how to approach our leader. I don’t know how he would feel over this shameful show. Now my people are after me for deceiving them. There is no way we would have left the Deputy Governor. We were just playing the game to enable us recover what we have lost over the years due to the Governor’s continual starvation of the party.”
Our source revealed that Mr. Nwachukwu later visited the Prince Madumere’s country home, where he was nearly lynched by the youth but for the timely intervention of the Deputy Governor.
News Express reports that Prince Madumere is under increasing pressure to enter the gubernatorial race even as Okorocha, who previously hailed him as worthy of succeeding him in 2019, continues to push for his son-in-law, allegedly at the instigation of his wife, Nneoma Okorocha.
News
EFCC: New Documents Extracted Shows Yahaya Bello Allegedly Paid School Fees To The Tune Of $845,852,84 For His Family Members
Still on the EFCC trailing on Ex Governor of Kogi State, Yahaya Bello, Documents serving as exhibits have shown how he allegedly paid school fees in advance for his family members already in the school and even those to be enrolled in future with hundreds of thousands of dollars withdrawn from the state coffers.
A letter from the American International School of Abuja to the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) has shown the school admitting that Bello, the former governor of Kogi State, paid $845,852,84 into their bank account since September 2021 as advance school fees for 4 family members from the present class until they graduate.
Payment was also made for any future student to be enrolled by the family.
The document alleges that the payment was made by Mr. Ali Bello, alleged to be the eldest son of Yahaya Bello.
In the document, the school stated that they have deducted the fees for the educational service already rendered to the Bello children in the institution and what is left is $760, 910, which would be refunded to an account provided by the EFCC as the commission continues investigation into alleged money laundering levelled against Yahaya Bello.
The school also added that from the Bello family kids, “no further additional fees are expected in respect of tuition until they graduate from ASIA.”
News
Niger State Prisoners Run From Facility After Rainstorm Brings Down Part Of Fencing
Many prisoners serving time at the Suleja Correctional Centre, located in Suleja Local Government of Niger state, fled the facility after a rainstorm brought down a part of the inner fencing.
This incident happened as a result of the heavy rainfall which fell on Wednesday night. This led to a cell being torn down, providing incarcerated individuals with a chance at freedom.
Reporters gathered that security forces fired many shots in the air, attempting to scare the inmates out of hiding.
While the State Comptroller of Prisons declined to speak to the press, it has been noted that security has been beefed up on the Minna-Suleja and Suleja-Kaduna roads, including the Madalla axis to Abuja road, which is a likely escape route out of the state for the inmates.
News
EFCC: Former Governor Of Kogi State, Yahaya Bello Fails To Show Up In Court, Says He Is Scared Of Arrest
The embattled immediate past Governor of Kogi state, Yahaya Bello, says he would have appeared at the Federal High Court in Abuja to answer to the 19-count charge preferred against him by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, EFCC, but is afraid he would be arrested.
Though Bello was absent for his arraignment today April 23, His team of lawyers addressed the court on his behalf.
A member of his legal team, Adeola Adedipe, SAN, had this to say on his behalf;
“The defendant wants to come to court but he is afraid that there is an order of arrest hanging on his head,” Adedipe, SAN, submitted.
Adesipe then appealed to the court to set aside the exparte order of arrest it earlier issued against the former governor. The lawyer contended that as at the time the order of arrest was made, the charge had not been served on his client as required by the law.
He argued that it was only at the resumed proceedings on Tuesday that the court okayed substituted service of the charge on the defendant, through his lawyer.
“As at the time the warrant was issued, the order for substituted service had not been made. That order was just made this morning. A warrant of arrest should not be hanging on his neck when we leave this court,” counsel to the defendant added.
According to him, the Federal Government did not consult the 36 States of the federation before it enacted the EFCC Act through the National Assembly. He argued that section 12 of the 1999 Constitution, as amended, required the various Houses of Assembly of states to ratify the Act before it could become operative.
“This is a very serious matter that borders on the constitution and the tenets of federalism. It has to be resolved because as it stands, the EFCC is an illegal organization,” Bello’s lawyer added
However, EFCC’s lawyer, Mr. Kemi Pinheiro, SAN, urged the court to refuse the application, insisting that the warrant of arrest should not be set aside until the defendant makes himself available for his trial.
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